The Medicare provider enrollment process is changing for DMEPOS suppliers.

The current enrollment administrative contractor, the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC), is being replaced by two regional contractors in November 2022, according to an announcement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The change marks a significant shift in enrollment services. For years, the NSC has served as the sole national processor of Medicare enrollment applications for DMEPOS providers.

Regional Divisions

The NSC will continue to process Medicare enrollment applications through November 6, 2022. CMS said DMEPOS suppliers should continue to contact the NSC through that date.

Beginning November 7, 2022, application processing will be split by regions between two National Provider Enrollment (NPE) administrative contractors — Novitas Solutions and Palmetto GBA.

The NSC name will no longer be used. Instead, the regional contractors will be called NPE East and NPE West to reflect the division of services.

NPE East, managed by Novitas Solutions, will handle applications for the following states and U.S. territories: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

NPE West, managed by Palmetto GBA, will handle applications for the following states and U.S. territories: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Files Will Transfer

Starting November 7, suppliers who need additional information must contact the NPE contractor for their region.

All enrollment files, including paper and electronic files in PECOS, will transfer automatically to the appropriate regional contractor. No action is needed from DMEPOS suppliers, CMS said.

About ACHC

Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) is a recognized national leader in DMEPOS Accreditation. To learn more about accreditation, email [email protected] or call (855) 937-2242, ext. 458.